It's Getting Better (A Zariana Love Story)
by pickmeupimdrifting
Summary: Zac Rogers is new at Anchor Beach, befriending Jesus Foster. Jesus takes Zac under his wing as Zac adjusts to the new school. With all that Jesus does for Zac, he is extremely grateful and feels that it isn't right to be having feelings for Jesus' twin sister. But can he keep putting these feelings aside for Mariana Foster? (Following events of the show)
1. Chapter 1

"Hey you're the new kid right?" someone said.

Zac looked up from the book he was reading at one of the tables in the library.

A guy in a white beanie and maroon long sleeved shirt was standing over him, one hand holding the strap of his backpack on his shoulder.

"Uh yeah, that's right." Zac said, having to think about it for a minute. He was one of the few people who had come into contact with him all day.

"I'm Jesus." he said, outstretching his large hand.

"Zac." Zac replied, shaking it.

"Do you have study hall now?" he asked.

Zac nodded while Jesus eyed the seat across from him. He pointed to it and asked, "Mind if I sit down?"

Zac shook my head as Jesus pulled the seat across of him back so he could sit. He threw his bag on the ground and pushed himself in.

"So Zac, how's your first day been going?" Jesus asked, crossing his arms on the table.

"Oh, you know, it's just school. Pretty cool that it's on a beach." Zac said, stuffing the book in my bag and zipping it.

"Yeah it's different from most schools. Like the whole kindergarten through twelfth grade shit." Jesus said, tapping his foot quickly.

"Where you from?" he asked, actually looking interested about information involving Zac, unlike others who asked just to be friendly.

"Baltimore." Zac said casually.

"Your parents here too?"

"Just me and my mom."

"Lucky you." Jesus said.

"Why's that?" Zac asked, curiously.

"Well it's kind of complicated actually," Jesus said rubbing his neck. "But me and my twin sister Mariana were put up for adoption when we were young and this couple named Stef and Lena fostered us along with Stef's son Brandon who's a few years older than me and goes here too. We were adopted when we were eleven and then a little while ago they decided to foster two more kids who are brother and sister but had a bigger age difference. There name's are Callie and Jude, they also go here too but Stef and Lena don't know if they're going to be adopted or what. This probably doesn't make any sense to you and you probably have no idea what I'm saying and-"

"No, no I do." Zac said, nodding quickly.

Jesus laughed, "You're one of the few."

"I wish I had a family like yours, or even a sibling."

Jesus laughed harder, "No you don't. Mariana is a pain in the ass. I have to share a room with Jude and Brandon's okay but he lives with his dad now so it's a bit easier. I just hope they don't decide to have a kid or foster again I would definitely go insane."

"What's wrong with a twin sister?" Zac asked curiously, not seeing a reason why someone wouldn't want one.

"Don't even get me started." Jesus said leaning back in his chair. "She's always on her phone texting, totally oblivious, and then when she's not on her phone she's talking non stop about some cute guy she saw at the mall or One Direction. It's maddening."

Zac chuckled, "It doesn't seem to bad but I don't have a sister so I wouldn't know."

"I would trade with you any day of the week." Jesus said seriously.

Now it was Zac's turn to laugh, "Oh no, you don't want to live like I do."

"Why not?"

"My mom, she's a bit crazy." Zac said, making a circular motion by his ear.

The bell suddenly rang, signaling the start of lunch. Jesus stood up and put his backpack on one shoulder, "Come on, new kid. It's time for your first lunch at Anchor Beach." he said, motioning for Zac to follow.

* * *

After waiting in the lunch line and buying food that actually looked good, Zac sat down outside at an empty table with Jesus. Jesus, squinting in the sunlight, opened his fruit cup and looked around the courtyard. Zac looked down at his own lunch and unwrapped the peanut butter and nutella sandwich on toasted white bread.

"The food here looks pretty good." Zac said, taking a bite of his sandwich, hearing a satisfying crunch of the toast. Jesus opened his Snapple and chucked part of it down, and continued looking around the courtyard.

"Who are you looking for?" Zac asked, trying to follow his eyes.

"My girlfriend Lexi. She's really nice, you'll like her." Jesus said casually as a girl with dark brown hair separated from the crowd, another girl with similar colored hair followed. Jesus groaned, "What's wrong?" Zac asked, taking another large bite of his sandwich.

"She brought Mariana." Jesus said as the two girls approached their lunch table.

"Hey babe." one of the girls said, leaning down and pecking Jesus. Zac assumed that this was not Jesus' sister as she sat down next to Jesus, placing her lunch tray down in front of her. The other girl who was smiling, had to be Mariana sat down at the bench next to Zac. Zac's first impression of Mariana was that she was extremely pretty and had a really nice smile.

"Do you have to sit here Mariana?" Jesus asked, looking at the girl next to Zac.

"Lexi was my best friend before she was your girl friend." Mariana said, giving Jesus a look.

"That is true." Lexi said, smiling. "Who's your friend Jesus?"

Zac was brought back from senses realized he had completely stopped chewing his sandwich. "Oh this is Zac. He's new." Jesus said.

"Hi Zac, I'm Mariana." Mariana said, holding out her hand. Zac swallowed his half chewed sandwich forcefully and shook her hand.

"Zac." Zac choked out before going into a coughing fit. He unscrewed the cap of his lemonade and took a big sip.

"You okay?" Mariana asked, sounding concerned.

Zac nodded, "Yeah, never better." he said, sounding a little raspy.

Mariana smiled and opened her water.

"And I'm Lexi." Lexi said, waving as Jesus put his arm around her.

"Nice to meet you." Zac said, nodding.

"Well now that we all have introduced ourselves, Mariana can I please see your math homework?" Jesus asked desperately.

"Oh so now you want me here." she said, crossing her arms but was soon digging through her backpack to find her math homework.

The four continued to eat their lunches and do homework (this only applying to Jesus).

"Fuck! I got nutella on my paper! Do you think Mr. Shultz will mind?" Jesus asked Mariana.

"That's your problem." Mariana said, taking back her homework and putting it in her backpack.

Jesus who had been eating graham crackers with marshmallow fluff and nutella on it, took a napkin and began dabbing the nutella stain on his paper. "Shittttt." he muttered, doing the best he could to remove the nutella.

"Why not put some fluff on it to cover up the spots?" Zac suggested, the most he had said the whole lunch period.

"Hey that's not a bad idea!" Jesus said, looking around for remaining fluff.

"I'm joking." Zac said, surprised by Jesus' desperate attempt to cover the nutella smears.

Jesus who seemed to have given up, put the paper away and adjusted his beanie.

"What class do you have next?" Lexi asked Zac. Zac took the folded schedule from his pocket and squinted down at it.

"Uh, literature with Mr. Timothy." Zac said, looking up at Lexi.

"Great! Mariana and I have him next too! You can follow us to class, which should be any minute n-"

Lexi was cut off by the sound of the bell.

"Well, guess it's time to go. Bye Jesus." Lexi said, kissing Jesus. "Good luck with math."

Mariana, Lexi, and Zac got up and dumped the trash from their trays into the garbage and stacked the trays on top. They followed the flood of students back into the school, Zac watching Mariana and Lexi carefully so that he wouldn't get lost.

They entered Mr. Timothy's class a bit late, most people were there already. "Uh, Mr. Timothy?" Lexi said, Mr. Timothy turned in his desk chair.

"Yes, Miss. Rivera?" Mr. Timothy asked.

"This is Zac, he's new today." Lexi said. Zac stood awkwardly in the front of the class with Lexi, all eyes were on him.

"Ahh, Mr. Rogers, right?" Mr. Timothy said, snapping his fingers. "Welcome to 10th Grade Literature. Here's a copy of the book we're reading, if you could catch up before next class...page 95. If you need help with Shakespearian, the modern translation is on the other side of the page." He handed Zac a hard cover copy of Romeo and Juliet.

"I actually already read it in my old school." Zac said, awkwardly.

"Oh have you now! Well I guess you're ahead! That means what we're doing in class today you'll be able to participate in, excellent." Mr. Timothy said. He pointed across the room to an empty desk next to Lexi. "You can sit next to Lexi."

Zac nodded and walked along the aisle of desks, all eyes still on him. He put his backpack down and sat in the seat next to Lexi who was watching the chalkboard where Mr. Timothy was writing, "Romeo and Juliet: In Love or Crazy?" in big letters.

He turned around and looked at the class, "Now, who would like to start us off with our discussion? Do you think Romeo and Juliet are in love or just being insane?"

No one raised their hand, a few people looked around to see if anyone had volunteered.

"Zac!" Mr. Timothy said, startling Zac. "You're new! What do you think of their relationship?"

"Well...," Zac said, becoming extremely nervous. "A few hours ago, Romeo was hopelessly in love with that girl Rosaline. He couldn't have gotten over her so fast and moved onto Juliet. It's kind of far fetched that he loves her. He may have a strong attraction towards her but it probably isn't love yet." Zac watched Mr. Timothy bullet what he said on the chalkboard.

"What about Juliet?"

"I think she was desperate to find someone other than Paris. Their attraction to each other was based on looks." Zac said, glancing at the students looking at him.

"Excellent! Does anyone want to argue the fact that they are really in love?" Mr. Timothy asked.

He looked around at the class who didn't move again, Mariana's hand slowly inched into the air.

"Mariana! Share your thoughts!" Mr. Timothy said, pointing to Mariana with his chalk and then turning around.

"Well, Romeo and Juliet lived in a time period where people married young and all that. They defied the family tradition to be together. They also might've wanted to get on with their relationship because that was what happened in their time period." Mariana said, as Mr. Timothy bulleted what she said on the chalkboard.

"Anyone else?" he said, enthusiastically.


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, I don't think I mentioned this but the reason why Mariana and Jesus are sort of hostile with each other is because this takes place is pretty much during the episode "Saturday", it'll make sense when you read it.**

* * *

The school bell rang finally while Zac was scribbling down the last of his answer to the history he was doing with Jesus. He removed his goggles while the teacher shouted homework out to the students who were noisily packing their binders and books into their backpacks.

"So Zac, we have to do this stupid project man." Jesus said, pointing at the science project paper that their science teacher had given him and Zac.

"Well it's a 'do it on your own time' thing but I'm free tomorrow night if you want to work on it." Zac said, zipping his backpack and putting it on his shoulders.

"Yeah that's great!" Jesus said putting his stuff away. "Wait I forgot."

"Forgot what?" Zac asked curiously.

"Lexi's parents are coming over tomorrow for dinner, maybe we can do it another time?" Jesus asked.

"Yeah sure, anytime." Zac said shrugging. Jesus ripped a blank part of his science homework off and scribbled down numbers.

"Here, text me later so that we can coordinate stuff." Jesus said, stuffing the paper in his hand and catching Lexi's eye from across the room. "I'll see you ok?"

"Yeah." Zac said as Jesus walked away. Zac put the paper in his pocket and exited the science room, making his way towards the front of the school where his mother would pick him up.

"Zac!" a voice said from a car. Zac turned to see his eccentric mother flagging him down through the open driver's window. Embarrassed and turning red, Zac jogged to the passenger side of the car and got in.

"How was your first day?!" his mom asked excitedly.

"Oh you know, it was good." Zac shrugged and threw his backpack into the seat behind him.

"Did you make any new friends?" she asked, still sounding over excited.

"Yeah a few." Zac said casually, he took his phone from his pocket along with the paper from Jesus.

"Is that a girl's number there?" his mom asked.

"No. It's my friends." Zac said, starting to get annoyed. He added Jesus to his contacts and looked out the window at the beach going quickly by as they left the school.

"So no girls that tickle your fancy?" she asked, laughing.

"No." Zac lied, leaning his head on the window.

* * *

_Hey, it's Zac, sorry I didn't text you earlier._

Zac sent Jesus a text shortly after he had finished his dinner on Saturday night. He was sitting in his bedroom which at the moment only contained his bed. There were plenty of cardboard boxes as well marked clothes, trophies, computer, xbox and games, and more clothes but for now, just his bed and dresser was in the room. His room was a deep red like blood that he insisted on getting instead of the light blue that it had originally been.

Zac set his phone down on his bed and took a cardboard box down marked clothes. He cut the tape with scissors and opened the box to neatly folded shirts that were piled half way up. Zac began removing the flannel shirts, graphic tees, and button up shirts from the box and placed them in his empty drawers.

BZZZZZZT.

Zac turned back to his bed, his phone had lit up and a message alert appeared on the screen. It was from Jesus.

_You will not believe what just happened._

Zac who was confused by what Jesus said immediately replied with, _What happened? _Jesus didn't reply immediately so Zac went back to unpacking the boxes of clothes in his room.

BZZZZZT.

Zac quickly turned back to his phone, a message that was as long as a book had been received from Jesus. Zac opened it and began reading,

_Mariana came back from some party in the middle of dinner with Lexi's parents and Lexi's parents were talking about a church retreat that Lexi and I were going to and asked if Mariana wanted to go. And you know what Mariana says? She goes, "What you're going to let them spend the night together even though they're having sex?" Like what the fuck! Turns out Mariana was drunk! She got fucking drunk at that party and told Lexi's parents about personal information between me and Lexi! She ruined my relationship with Lexi!_

Zac was totally speechless once he read the text.

_Woah that's some serious shit. What's going on now?_

Within a minute Jesus had replied.

_Stef and Lena are talking to Mariana in her room, I can hear them now. But Lexi and her parents left and Lexi isn't answering my texts. I'm so fucking mad at her._ _Do you see now why siblings are bad?_

Zac had to admit that having a sister didn't seem as cool now and thought of something to say.

_Yeah I guess they can be pretty rough._

He wait for Jesus to reply if he would, Zac's reply may have been a conversation ender.

_Did you want to come over on Monday after school to work on the project and talk about this more? My moms are kind of pissed off at me too..._

_Yeah sure, I'll bring my science stuff_

After he stopped texting Jesus, Zac put his phone down on his bed again and finished unpacking his clothes. Feeling as if he had nothing better to do since the TV wasn't set up yet, neither was his computer or Xbox, Zac began doing his homework, reading the next scene of Romeo and Juliet. Half of what they said made no sense to him but since he had read it before he knew what was going on.

His eyes itched from tiredness at around 11pm, forcing Zac to turn off his light and go to sleep. Normally he didn't go to sleep this early but what else could he do while he was awake?

* * *

On Monday morning after wolfing down a bowl of cereal, Zac decided to walk to school instead of take the bus or drag his mom out from bed to drive him. To be honest he had no idea where his bus stop was and his mom had drunk a little bit too much the night before.

It was sunny and warm once again as Zac began walking to school. Similar to Friday, the cloudless blue sky let off a cheerful mood even though the idea of going to school was anything but cheerful. He paused at the crosswalk waiting for the light to switch when a dark gray car pulled up alongside him.

"Yo!" someone from the car said. The back window of the car was rolled down and Jesus was sticking out of it.

"Hey!" Zac said, realizing who it was.

"Walking to school?" he asked. Zac nodded and squinted in the sunlight. "Want a ride?"

"Nah, you're full." Zac said, noticing that a boy was sitting up front and yet there were four kids crammed in the back.

"You can sit in the trunk if you want, school is like two miles away, you'd never make it in time." Jesus said.

"Fine." Zac said.

"Hey can you open the trunk?" Jesus asked the driver. The trunk opened and Zac hopped in closing it behind him.

"Jesus I'm only doing this because if he walked he wouldn't make it on time. This is a one time thing."

"I know I know. Oh, everyone this is Zac. Zac this is Brandon," Jesus pointed to the boy sitting in the front wearing a red shirt who waved casually. "Callie," he pointed to the girl sitting next to him with straight brown hair and a brown shirt, she muttered a hi. "Jude," he pointed to a younger boy sitting next to Callie with brown hair. "And this is Lena, she's the vice principal at school."

"Hi Zac, nice to meet you." Lena said smiling.

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Foster."

"Oh call me Lena, just not at school. I'm Ms. Adams at school." she said smiling.

"What you're not going to introduce me?" Mariana said from the backseat. Mariana had her arms crossed and was looking at Jesus, her arms crossed.

"He already knows you." Jesus said shortly, turning in his seat to Jesus.

"So Zac, ready for day two?" he asked.

"No." Zac said, honestly.

"Yeah school sucks." Jesus said. He leaned forward to talk to Lena, "Lena can we get Dunkin on the way to school?" he asked innocently.

"No! We're already going to be late as it is! And you're in trouble so no."

"Worth a shot." Jesus said, leaning back in his seat.

* * *

This time, Zac and Jesus sat alone at lunch on the grassy slope leading to the beach. A bunch of other kids were playing frisbee or eating lunch too.

"Where's Lexi?" Zac asked, taking a bite of his lunch from school. Two burritos.

"No show." Jesus said, taking a bite of his own burrito.

"Do you think it had to do with last night?" Zac asked, looking at the ocean.

"Probably, she still hasn't answered any of my texts or emails." Jesus said, opening the bag of chips sitting between them.

Zac kept looking at the water and noticed someone walking towards the beach. "Hey is that Mariana?" he asked, pointing to the girl in a light blue shirt and bright pink skirt walking down the beach.

"Probably, but who cares?" Jesus said, holding the chip bag up to his mouth and shaking the chips in.

"Jesus?" someone asked behind them. They both turned, a girl who Zac didn't recognize was standing over them.

"Yeah Taylor?" Jesus asked, chewing his chips.

"Your mom wants to see you in her office."

Jesus sighed and got up, "I'll catch up with you later ok?" he said, and began walking up the grassy hill.

Zac nodded and waited a few seconds before getting up himself and picking up his backpack, put the other burrito, bag of chips, and Snapple in his backpack, and rushed down the slope towards the beach.

* * *

"I um, I don't think I can."Zac heard as he approached Mariana who was talking to a woman.

"It's just we're family...you know?" the woman said. Zac kept his distance, obviously stumbling in on a private conversation. He kept back enough not to be noticed. "And family, takes care of family."

Mariana looked up the beach and nodded. She noticed Zac and her eyes widened. "I-I got to go." she said to the woman and began walking towards Zac back to the school.

"Hey you ok?" Zac asked, Mariana looked confused.

"What? Oh yeah, I'm fine." she said, quickly walking up the beach. Zac tried to stay with her but she moved very fast.

"Who was that?" Zac asked, looking back for the woman who wasn't there anymore.

"Oh you know, just someone I met on the beach." Mariana said.

"Really? I heard something about family-"

"It's no one, Zac. Ok?" she said, sounding irritated.

"Ok, well if there's anything I can do to help I-"

"No it's ok, I don't need help." Mariana said. "Come on, lunch ends in a few minutes."

"Did you eat?" Zac asked.

"No, but it's ok I'll eat when I get home." Mariana said.

Zac remembering his leftover lunch, pulled his backpack up in front of him and opened it, taking out the burrito, bag of Doritos, and Snapple. "Here." he said, holding out the three items. "I'm not hungry." he said simply.

Mariana looked at him shocked, "No it's ok, it's yours."

"No seriously, I'm not hungry, if you don't eat it it will just go to waste." Zac said, thanking that the ocean waves were loud enough to drown out the rumbling in his stomach.

Mariana took the food from him and smiled, "Thanks. I really appreciate it." she said, removing the plastic wrap from the burrito and taking a bite.

"Anything else I can do for you?" Zac asked, zipping his backpack. "Carry your bag for you? Piggy back ride back to school? Maybe I could do you homework for you." Zac said, pretending to sound proper.

Mariana laughed, "Those all sound tempting but I'll pass, I owe you one."

"Nah it's ok, anything for Jesus' sister." Zac said casually.

They walked up the steps of the beach to the grassy slope, Mariana finished her burrito and opened her chips. "I thought you would hate me by now."

"Why would you think that?" Zac asked confused.

"Well, I'm sure Jesus told you about what happened on Saturday..."

"People make mistakes, it's ok. I don't see how I would hate you."

Mariana smiled, "Good because maybe I can get more free lunches out of you."

Zac smiled and took the chip that Mariana offered her as they made their way towards English.


End file.
